Pasadena In FocusSeptember - October 2010

Pre-Craftsman Beauties

After nearly a year of work, the city has completed a fascinating survey and report on Pasadena homes built between 1883 and 1904.

As part of the city’s historic preservation efforts, the Planning Department secured a federal grant last fall through the California Office of Historic Preservation to study late 19th and early 20th century architecture in Pasadena. Since then, the team has evaluated more than 870 homes.

The final report details architectural styles popular in that era, including the Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, American Foursquare, Shingle and Eastlake styles, as well as simpler Folk Victorian houses and gable- and hipped-roofed cottages. The report also cites important architects, including Harry Ridgeway, Joseph Blick, George W. Stimson, John C. Austin, Frederick Roehrig, Seymour Locke, Charles W. Buchanan, Greene and Greene, and others.

Based on the findings, the team is nominating two Pasadena neighborhoods for the National Register of Historic Places – one between Cypress and Lincoln avenues (Lincoln Triangle) and West Villa Street, and the second along North Raymond and Summit avenues between Maple and Villa streets. Ten individual homes are also being nominated, including Hillmont at 1375 E. Mountain St., the Cosby House at 510 Locke Haven St. and the Hood House at 494 Ellis St. The team discovered 44 homes that may be eligible for the National Register and 38 that could be named city landmarks.When the project is complete in October, all 870 homes will be added to the city’s California Historical Resources Inventory Database at www.cityofpasadena.net/chrid, which lists all historic properties and districts in Pasadena, with related surveys, reports, forms and documents.

For more details and updates on the architectural survey, or to read the draft reports, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/planningcommentsand scroll down to “Other Planning Efforts.” You can also relay comments to the project manager at 744-7806, fax them to 396-7259, e-mail to kevinjohnson@cityofpasadena.netor mail to 175 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101-1704.